‘He growled like an animal’
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man accused of stabbing two Las Vegas resort employees reportedly “growled like an animal” before a security officer shot him in the middle of the casino, prosecutors and witnesses said in court documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
The stabbings and then shooting of the suspect, Shayne Sussman, 25, happened around 1 a.m. on Aug. 3 inside the Red Rock Resort. The 8 News Now Investigators first identified Sussman shortly after his arrest.
Sussman allegedly stabbed one employee in the face and neck and another employee in the back, documents said. One employee was polishing a floor area and had opened a door to continue his work when Sussman allegedly attacked him, documents said. Shortly after that, Sussman attacked the second employee who was walking through the hallway at the end of his shift.
Videos the 8 News Now Investigators obtained shows a man prosecutors identified as Sussman walking through the resort’s hotel lobby before the stabbings. The video shows Sussman stumbling around and waiting until he sees an open door to an employee-only area.
Shayne Sussman, 25, faces charges for allegedly stabbing two Red Rock resort employees. (LVMPD/KLAS)
According to court transcripts, Sussman ran up to the employee “out of nowhere,” that employee told a Clark County grand jury. “He growled like an animal. Like he was a bear or something,” the employee said.
The second stabbing victim had a similar description: “He said no words. He was just yelling like he had the devil inside him,” the man told the grand jury.
Sussman then left the hotel and walked back to the casino where he sat down outside a restaurant, police said. The property had hosted a concert earlier in the evening and extra security officers were on duty, one security officer said.
At 1:01 a.m., less than two minutes after the stabbings, hotel security came into contact with Sussman who was sitting near a restaurant in the casino. Sussman reportedly told the officer, “My heart. My heart is racing!” while holding a bloody knife. Staff described Sussman as “extremely under the influence.” A security officer then spotted a knife in Sussman’s hand.
The knife police suspect Shayne Sussman, 25, used to stab two Red Rock casino employees. (KLAS)
“We were lucky by the grace of God and fortunate that we had this many officers on floor due to the concert,” an officer said. After officers approached Sussman, he appears to lunge at them and run off through the casino.
Officers then chased Sussman through the casino. At one point, the video shows Sussman spin around with his knife in hand in an attempt to slash an officer. The officer testified to the grand jury that he believed Sussman barely missed.
Another security officer then shot Sussman once as he ran from other security staff, documents said.
A security officer who was off duty at the time but who was in the casino as a patron said Sussman allegedly offered to sell him drugs in a restroom multiple times, documents said.
Blood tests administered at the hospital showed Sussman had alcohol and THC in his system, prosecutors said.
Sussman faces three counts of attempted murder and several other charges connected to the incident. He remained in custody Tuesday on $500,000 bail. His arraignment was postponed again Tuesday and was due to continue on Oct. 15.
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